Multi-tip writing instrument with swinging door selector

ABSTRACT

In a multi-tip writing instrument a clip, a push button or equivalent mechanism for projecting a writing tip, is provided with a hinged plate or swinging door for engaging the selected writing tip. The selector responds to gravity or inertial forces. Any suitable mechanism can keep the writing tip projected. Upon retraction, the push button or clip is retracted further than the writing tip to free the swinging door from engagement with the writing tips so that any new selection can be made by the hinged selector swinging to the desired writing point.

United States Patent 1 Zepell Mar. 19, 1974 MULTI-TIP WRITING INSTRUMENT WITH SWINGING DOOR SELECTOR [76] Inventor: Nathan A. Zepell, 1359 Santa Teresita Dr., Santa Barbara Calif.

[22] Filed: Dec. 26, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 318,668

[52] US. Cl. 401/33, 401/104 [51] Int. Cl B43k 27/12 [58] Field of Search 401/29-33, 401/104-106 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,225,747 12/1965 Schmidt 401/33 2,781,741 2/1957 Tintngr.... 401/33 3.164.132 l/l965 Ganz 401/33 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 404.461 12/1965 Switzerland 401/33 Great Britain 401/104 France 401/106 Primary Examiner-Lawrence Charles Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Harry W. Brelsford 5 7] ABSTRACT In a multi-tip writing instrument a clip. a push button or equivalent mechanism for projecting a writing tip,

is provided with a hinged plate or swinging door for engaging the selected writing tip. The selector responds to gravity or inertial forces. Any suitable mechanism can keep the writing tip projected. Upon retraction, the push button or clip is retracted further than the writing tip to free the swinging door from engagement with the writing tips so that any new selection can be made by the hinged selector swinging to the desired writing point.

14 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures MULTI-TIP WRITING INSTRUMENT WITH SWINGING DOOR SELECTOR This invention relates to writing instruments having a plurality of writing tips and to a swinging plate type of selector. The swinging door is hinged to the mechanism used for projecting the writing tips.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view in full section of a writing instrument showing one writing tip projected to a writing position.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view in full section taken along the line Il-II of FIG. 1 and showing the upper part of the writing instrument.

FIG. 3 is an elevation view in full section similar to FIG. 2, but showing the glide holding the writing tip in a retracted position.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view in three dimensions of the clip, blade, swinging door selector, glide and retraction retainer of FIGS. 1 through 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the line VV of FIG. 4 on an enlarged scale showing the lug that interconnects the blade and the clip.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along the line VI-VI of FIG. 1, but on an enlarged scale, showing the structure for retaining a writing cartridge within a glide.

FIG. 7 is an elevation view partly in section of the cap portion of a modified form of the invention wherein the point projection mechanism has a sliding button on the exterior of the cap.

FIG. 8 is an elevation view of the modification of FIG. 7 showing the bayonet slot for selectively holding a writing tip in a projected position.

FIG. 9 is an elevation view partly in section of the cap portion of a modified form of the invention wherein the point projection mechanism is actuated by a push button.

Referring to FIG. 1, a pen 10 has a cartridge 12 having a writing tip 14 projecting from an opening 16 in a barrel 18. A second cartridge 20 is retracted within the barrel 18 and within a cap 22. The cap and barrel are joined by a connector sleeve 24 which may have a threaded or a friction fit connection. Each cartridge 12 and 20 is held at its upper end by identical glides 26 and the connection to the glides (FIG. 6) allows angular movement as illustrated in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1 the cartridge 12 is projected because its glide 26 is engaged by a hinged selector plate or swinging door 28 which may be connected to a push button or sliding clip or other projecting mechanism. The swinging door fits within a cut out portion 30 in the glide 26, and this cut out has an inclining contact surface 32. The provision of surfaces 32 that incline away from the line of contact between the glides prevents the door 28 from straddling the line and projecting both tips.

Referring to FIG. 2, the swinging door 28 is mounted on two apertured ears 34 and 36 that are formed on a sliding blade 38 which, in turn, is reciprocated within the cap 22 by a sliding clip 40 projecting into a cap sidewall slot 42. The blade is formed of stiff material such as sheetmetal and the ears are bent inwardly. Pro jecting from the door are pins 44 that fit within the apertured ears 34 and 36. The glide 26 is urged upwardly by a compression spring 46 resting on the connector sleeve 24. The clip 40 maintains the writing tip 14 projecting from the body, by means of a clip ball 48 having a flat 50 (on its upper end) engaging the cap wall 22 at sidewall aperture 52.

When it is desired to retract the writing tip 14 of FIG. 1, the user manually presses the upper end of the clip 40 (FIG. 2), causing the clip to rotate counterclockwise. This rotation releases the clip ball 48 from the sidewall aperture 52 and the compression spring 46 then pushes the glide 26 upwardly until its upper inclined end 54 engages a prong 56 and further movement causes prong 56 to fit into glide groove (FIG. 1 This connection causes the glides 26 to be held in their retracted positions shown in the right-hand part of FIG. 1 and in FIG. 3. The upward movement of the glide is halted by its end 54 striking the bottom 57 of an inverted cup to which prongs 56 are connected. The upper end of the clip 40 slidingly engages a cap projection 58, rotating the ball end tightly against the cap 22 to strongly grip fabric'of a pocket. Another structure to increase the gripping action of the clip ball 48 is a second cap projection 60 against which the ball 48 rests in its retracted position shownin FIG. 3.

When both glides are retracted, as in FIG. 3, the user of the instrument tilts the instrument to cause the hinged selector plate 56 to swing to the desired glide that is next to be projected. If the writing tips have different colored ink, colored spots 62 on the clip indicate the selected color. The selector door 28 must be free to swing and therefore the blade 38 must be moved upwardly after the glides are at rest. This is conveniently accomplished by connecting the blade to an intermediate point in the compression spring 46. For this purpose the blade 38 has formed on its lower end a tube 66 (FIGS. 4, 2 and 3) having an inwardly projecting prong 68 disposed between turns in the coil spring 46. One spring thus moves different pieces different distances.

The details of connecting the clip 40 to the blade 38 are shown in exploded view FIG. 4 and in FIG. 5. Formed on blade 38 between the hinge ears-34 and 36 is a tongue 70. Projecting from the clip 40 is a lug 72 having an aperture 74 therein '(FIG. 5). The lug 72 is pressed into cap slot 42 and pulled downwardly until the blade tongue enters the lug aperture 74. The tongue may have a barb 76 that locks the lug 72 to the tongue 70. Projecting from the clip 40 are a pair of ribs 80 which limit upward movement of the clip 40 and the blade 38, but only after it and the blade 38 have moved slightly past the retracted position of the glides. The ribs 80 also track the clip in its slot 42.

Shown in FIG. 6 is the connection of the cartridge 12 to the glide. A bore 82 in the glide has inwardly projecting pimples 84 that press against the cartridge and frictionally hold it like a socket while allowing limited angular movement between cartridge and glide.

Illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 is a slide button 86 connected to a blade 38a that has a swinging door selector (not shown) connected to it. The button slides downwardly in a bayonet shot 88 against the compression of a spring (not shown) which locks the blade 38a in the tip-projecting position. The writing instrument is retained in a pocket by a stationary clip 40a which may have a color spot 62a on the clip for the writing tip selected or a cap spot 63.

Illustrated in FIG. 9 is a cap having a reciprocating push button 102 connected through a slot 104 to a blade 3812 on which may be hinged a door selector (not shown) operating similarly to FIGS. 1 through 4. A color spot 62b may indicate the color of the writing tip selected. Any well-known mecahanism may be employed to keep the writing tip extended and then retracted by operating the button .102.

The invention has been described with reference to two generally semi-cylindrical glides 26. It will be appreciated that three or more glides with individual writing tips could be used as long as they have a surface against which the swinging door can bear. Means to hold the glides retracted can be located at any point in the length of the instrument;

I claim:

1. A writing instrument having a plurality of writing tips comprising;

a. a body member elongated on an axis;

b. a plurality of glides mounted on the body member for movement generally parallel to the axis;

c. a writing tip carried by each glide;

d. a manually movable projector mounted on the body for axial movement for projecting writing tips;

e. an a glide selector carried by the projector in the form of a swinging door having a hinge axis and movable by gravity to engage a selected one of said plurality of glides,

whereby manipulation of the instrument will dispose the selector at a position to engage a selected one of said plurality of glides and subsequent sliding of the projector will project the writing tip of said selected glide.

2. A multi-tip writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein the swinging door has a hinge axis and the hinge axis is generally parallel to the body axis.

3. A m ulti-tip writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 having means for releasably holding the selected tip in a projected position.

4. A multi-tip writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein the projector is a sliding clip and has additional lost motion past the retracted position of the glides to free the swinging door selector from the glide in the tip-retracted position.

5. A multi-tip wirting instrument as set forth in claim 4 wherein resilient means cause the clip to move through its lost motion with respect to the glide in the tip-retracted position, to free the swinging door selector of the glide for free movement to any selected glide.

6. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein a compression spring mounted on the bodyengages the glides to normally urge them to a tipretracted position, and the projector contacts the same spring but at a point on the spring that retracts the projector more than the glides, to move the swinging door off of the glides so that it freely swings for a new selection of glides.

7. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein there are two glides in sliding contact with each other and the surface of each glide contacted by the swinging door is angled away from the place of contact of the glides, so that the door will not straddle the contact line and instead be disposed positively on one glide or the other.

8. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein detent means are provided for releasably holding the glides in a tip-retracted position so that only the selected glide will have its writing tip projected for writ- 9. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein detent means are provided for releasably hold ing the glides in a tip retracted position, and the swinging door is located between the writing tip and the glide holding means, and the glides have a cut out area to accommodate the swinging door and to provide a place of contact between the glides and the door.

10. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hinge connects the swinging door to the projector and the projector is formed of a strip of stiff material and the hinge joint is formed by apertured ears bent out from the strip and the ear apertures are engaged by projecting pins on the swinging door.

11. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein the body member is hollow and has an axial slot therein, and the projector includes an axially slideable blade on the interior of the body and a clip on the exterior of the body connected to the blade through the slot, the blade extends axially in each direction from the clip connection sufficiently to cover the slot regardless of the sliding position of the blade with respect to the slot.

12. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein the body member is hollow and has an axially parallel slot in the body wall, and the projector includes an axially slideable blade and a clip connected to it through the slot, and the connection has a tongue projecting into an apertured lug formed between clip and blade.

13. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 having a clip for retaining in a pocket, and the writing tips make different colored writings and the color designation is coded on the clip ball to indicate the color selected by the swinging door, when that color code is uppermost when the instrument is somewhat horizontal, and the clip ball is recessed in the pen body when a writing tip is projected, requiring release of the clip ball and swinging door before a color selection canbe made.

14. In an elongated writing instrument having a cap and a longitudinally sliding clip having a ball, a clip reinforcing structure comprising a bulge in the cap, and a clip extension at the end of the clip opposite the ball, whereby sliding the clip disposes the clip extension on the bulge to reinforce the clipping action of the clip. 

1. A writing instrument having a plurality of writing tips comprising: a. a body member elongated on an axis; b. a plurality of glides mounted on the body member for movement generally parallel to the axis; c. a writing tip carried by each glide; d. a manually movable projector mounted on the body for axial movement for projecting writing tips; e. an a glide selector carried by the projector in the form of a swinging door having a hinge axis and movable by gravity to engage a selected one of said plurality of glides, whereby manipulation of the instrument will dispose the selector at a position to engage a selected one of said plurality of glides and subsequent sliding of the projector will project the writing tip of said selected glide.
 2. A multi-tip writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein the swinging door has a hinge axis and the hinge axis is generally parallel to the body axis.
 3. A multi-tip writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 having means for releasably holding the selected tip in a projected position.
 4. A multi-tip writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein the projector is a sliding clip and has additional lost motion past the retracted position of the glides to free the swinging door selector from the glide in the tip-retracted position.
 5. A multi-tip wirting instrument as set forth in claim 4 wherein resilient means cause the clip to move through its lost motion with respect to the glide in the tip-retracted position, to free the swinging door selector of the glide for free movement to any selected glide.
 6. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein a compression spring mounted on the body engages the glides to normally urge them to a tip-retracted position, and the projector contacts the same spring but at a point on the spring that retracts the projector more than the glides, to move the swinging door off of the glides so that it freely swings for a new selection of glides.
 7. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein there are two glides in sliding contact with each other and the surface of each glide contacted by the swinging door is angled away from the place of contact of the glides, so that the door will not straddle the contact line and instead be disposed positively on one glide or the other.
 8. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein detent means are provided for releasably holding the glides in a tip-retracted position so that only the selected glide will have its writing tip projected for writing.
 9. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein detent means are provided for releasably holding the glides in a tip retracted position, and the swinging door is located between the writing tip and the glide holding means, and the glides have a cut out area to accommodate the swinging door and to provide a place of contact between the glides and the door.
 10. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hinge connects the swinging door to the projector and the projector is formed of a strip of stiff material and the hinge joint is formed by apertured ears bent out from the strip and the ear apertures are engaged by projecting pins on the swinging door.
 11. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein the body member is hollow and has an axial slot therein, and the projector includes an axially slideable blade on the interior of the body and a clip on the exterior of the body connected to the blade through the slot, the blade extends axially in each direction froM the clip connection sufficiently to cover the slot regardless of the sliding position of the blade with respect to the slot.
 12. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein the body member is hollow and has an axially parallel slot in the body wall, and the projector includes an axially slideable blade and a clip connected to it through the slot, and the connection has a tongue projecting into an apertured lug formed between clip and blade.
 13. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 having a clip for retaining in a pocket, and the writing tips make different colored writings and the color designation is coded on the clip ball to indicate the color selected by the swinging door, when that color code is uppermost when the instrument is somewhat horizontal, and the clip ball is recessed in the pen body when a writing tip is projected, requiring release of the clip ball and swinging door before a color selection can be made.
 14. In an elongated writing instrument having a cap and a longitudinally sliding clip having a ball, a clip reinforcing structure comprising a bulge in the cap, and a clip extension at the end of the clip opposite the ball, whereby sliding the clip disposes the clip extension on the bulge to reinforce the clipping action of the clip. 